Maybe
by kyil
Summary: Oh please, like I would ever..?" Shikamaru just can't get those words out of his mind and he wonders why. Shikatema


**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

On a grassy hill near the training ground of Konoha laid Nara Shikamaru. The well-known shinobi for his intelligence as well as laziness was partaking in one of his favorite pastimes: cloud watching. With a nice blue sky and gentle warm breezes, it was considered a perfect day for cloud watching or just napping on this quiet hill, but Shikamaru found he could do neither.

"How troublesome," he said with a sigh to no one in particular.

"**Oh please, like I would ever...?"**

'_Darn trouble some woman. It's not like I care about what she thinks of me.'_

'_Then why can't you get her words out of your head,' _an inner voice said causing him to frown, '_The only logical explanation would be you do care.'_

The truth behind that thought brought a frustrated look on the usually relaxed shinobi's face. As much as he wanted to counter that inner thought, he could come up with no other plausible explanation. This realization brought on a question he had been trying to avoid for some time: why would he care about how Temari sees him?

Ever since the first moment he'd met her, he had known she would be another troublesome woman.

Boy had he been off! Temari proved to be one of the most troublesome woman of all and not just another regular troublesome woman. She's even more bothersome than his own mother!

The way she had charged at him right away in their match for the Chunin Exam. The proctor hadn't even signal for them to begin yet! Such an impatient woman.

'_But that look on her face when I gave up was priceless,'_ he thought as he couldn't help but smile at the memory.

Although he would have rather not had to go through the trouble of fighting her, that one look had made up for his effort and more. Now that he'd thought about it, he wouldn't change what happened that day even if he could. It was like an intriguing shogi game. Heck, he'd probably thought harder that day than when he played shogi with Asuma at his best.

Then of course there's that surprised look of hers again.

'_It was actually kinda cute.'_

Realizing what he'd just thought, Shikamaru's eyes went wide with shock.

'_Where that come from? How could I possibly have thought even for a second that that arrogant woman to have even once looked cute,'_ he thought as he went on to remember that day Temari had rescued him from that powerful Sound Nin Tayuya.

It bothered him so much to have been saved not only by a woman, but the woman had to be Temari!

"**Did anyone ask you for advice?! I asked you the situation. That's all."**

'_Humph that woman didn't even put my advice into consideration. But...'_

"**See? All over," then turning around with a grin on her face, "What d'ya think?"**

That grin and tone had her usual arrogance, but it also seemed to have held something else there as well. That time she really seemed like she had wanted to prove something to him. It was as if she had used her usual arrogance to mask her desire to gain some sort of approval from him.

It seemed he has become accustomed to that grin of hers. It just wouldn't seem right if he doesn't see that grin of hers each time they meet and every time he sees it, his mouth can't help but twitch up into a smile.

"Oh no," Shikamaru shut his eyes in realization.

How could he have not figured it out before? The way he smiles at her grins. The way his order of being her escort has changed from a troublesome assignment to something he enjoys (although he'll never admit it to anyone else). The way he actually values her opinion of him and finally, the way it had hurt like hell when she had said those words to Naruto and th others. Each of these pieces of puzzle fit together so perfectly!

He, Shikamaru Nara, has fallen for Temari of the Sand!

"Argh so troublesome," he muttered.

"And what, may I ask, could possibly be so troublesome when you're just laying around doing nothing," a voice said sarcastically.

With a sigh, he slowly opened his eyes to see the source of his current frustration standing above him. Silently cursing whatever God that was toying with him by having this woman show up at this exact moment, he sluggishly sat up.

"What are you doing here," he asked making sure to use a bored tone.

"Looking for you since you are my escort," Temari said simply as she sat down next to him after having placed her giant fan down on the grass beside herself.

"It's not like you aren't already familiar with where everything is in Konoha," he said as he tried to calm his heart from when Temari had said she was looking for him.

"Hee don't think you could get out of your job that easily. You're still obligated to escort me around Konoha," she said with a smirk.

"I would think you'd like not having me around after you got to know your way around. Don't want other people mistaking us to be on a date like Naruto had now would you," he retorted, although the truth behind his words pained him.

"Like I care what idiots like him think," she declared quickly, then grumbled to herself, "Stupid idiot, jumping to conclusions."

Shikamaru stared at her a bit wide eyed. Although she had turned her face away a little, he could still see a hint of pink on her face. Temari of the Sand was blushing!

'_Could she...,'_ he wondered.

Finally turning back to face him, Temari narrowed her eyes when she saw him staring at her.

"What?"

"...Nothing," he replied after a moment with a smile on his face.

Then standing up, he lightly brushed the pieces of grass off his pant.

"Well since it seems I'm stuck with you, how about I escort you to lunch," he said casually.

Temari strapped her fan back on her back and got up. After taking a few steps down the hill they were on, she stopped and turned back around to face him.

"Hee why not? It'll be your treat," she replied with her usual grin.

"Tsk, troublesome woman," he said, although his mouth twisted up into a smile at her grin.

Slowly making his way toward Temari, Shikamaru guessed it wasn't so bad to be around this troublesome woman.

So maybe he enjoyed her company, maybe he liked her arrogant grins, maybe he was in love with her and maybe just maybe one day she'll return his feelings.

**A/N: Read so many shikatema stories that I just wanted to give it a try. I just kinda fell in love with this coupling. Hopefully this wasn't too bad. It is my first try at a Naruto one-shot.**


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